Sand Filter w/ Glass Media

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KC4life15!

Active member
May 10, 2022
27
OP, KS
Pool Size
14500
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
A, let's say questionable at best, pool service guy is stating my TR60 Pentair pool filter has a crack at the base causing a leak (filter is original at 15+ years old but has never leaked) but due to the age it very well could be true but aside from that I have been have recurring issues with a cloudy pool and I am burning through chemicals like crazy to keep it clear. I suspect the filter isn't working properly because A)sand is probably due to be replaced and B) we keep having sand show up at the bottom of the pool (my father and I looked at all of the internals when we swapped sand 3 or 4 years ago and everything appeared to be in good shape) so not sure what's going on there. Anyway to fix a cracked fiberglass and avoid the $1K price tag to replace?

What is everyone's opinion on using a sand filter with glass media? Does it clean better? Has anyone had issues with glass getting back into the pool like sand does?- obviously would be a disaster for cutting toes/kids ingesting glass. Pool service guy has pitched me switching to a "cartridge" filter with a nice $1800 price tag. When I asked about glass media he stated "in my experience it doesn't clean better than sand".

What's best overall filtration system between required maintenance & filtering ability:
-> DE Filter system?
-> cartridges system?
-> sand filter w/ glass media?

I appreciate the feedback.

Thanks
 
Companies selling glass media claim it filters to a smaller particle size. I have no data to say that is true or not. But sand does not wear out. You don't need to change it every few years. The sand you added 3-4 years ago should be good. You first have to determine the debris on the bottom of your pool is sand and not algae. If it is sand, you have to look at the laterals or standpipe for a leak. If you are going to replace your filter because the filter is cracked, you will get better filtering with a cartridge system.
 
Homebrewale said:
Companies selling glass media claim it filters to a smaller particle size. I have no data to say that is true or not. But sand does not wear out. You don't need to change it every few years. The sand you added 3-4 years ago should be good. You first have to determine the debris on the bottom of your pool is sand and not algae. If it is sand, you have to look at the laterals or standpipe for a leak. If you are going to replace your filter because the filter is cracked, you will get better filtering with a cartridge system.
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Zero doubt its sand. If I remember correctly the manufacturer of the sand states it needs to be replaced every 3-5 years, are you stating that was a sales gimmick? May I ask what your basis is for not needing to change? Interesting, the cartridge filter represents a significant investment but I have read good things. What is the maintenance like on a cartridge filter? I have seen some online help videos stating filter should be cleaned (once/week) but have read others stating once/month. My pool is 14,500 gallons and we have a automatic pool cover so very little debris getting into the water.
 
Welcome! Sand doesn’t wear out. It can get gunked up by floc or other stuff but if you haven’t added anything other than chlorine it’s fine. If sand is getting through and into the pool, you may have a broken lateral inside. It may need to be deep cleaned as well.

The filter can leak from weeping through the fiberglass as well as being cracked. Mine was seeping through the fiberglass like that and so I had it replaced as well using the glass media. The glass media is no more safe to ingest than sand. It’s not like broken beer bottles that can cut you, it’s exactly the same texture as regular sand and neither gets pumped into the pool with a properly working filter.

Mine filters just fine with it, though it’s insanely more expensive than normal pool sand. If I had to do it again, I’d stick with regular sand. But if your pool is cloudy, you have a chemical problem probably caused by too little chlorine.
 
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The original sand filter installation I did in 1992 (my very first) is still going strong on one sand change about 10 years in because of a broken lateral. I still go back about every 5 years and add 50# of sand to a Pentair TA-60D filter (24" tank, 3 sq. ft.) Close enough to retirement that I probably won't do it again. Water always sparkles.

If you go back with sand, get the largest that will fit in your pool equipment area.
 
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1poolman1 said:
The original sand filter installation I did in 1992 (my very first) is still going strong on one sand change about 10 years in because of a broken lateral. I still go back about every 5 years and add 50# of sand to a Pentair TA-60D filter (24" tank, 3 sq. ft.) Close enough to retirement that I probably won't do it again. Water always sparkles.
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Love it
 
If you have a choice to get a cartridge filter, I’d jump on it. They don’t need to be cleaned once a week. Some folks on here clean it once a season.
 
Bperry said:
Welcome! Sand doesn’t wear out. It can get gunked up by floc or other stuff but if you haven’t added anything other than chlorine it’s fine. If sand is getting through and into the pool, you may have a broken lateral inside. It may need to be deep cleaned as well.

The filter can leak from weeping through the fiberglass as well as being cracked. Mine was seeping through the fiberglass like that and so I had it replaced as well using the glass media. The glass media is no more safe to ingest than sand. It’s not like broken beer bottles that can cut you, it’s exactly the same texture as regular sand and neither gets pumped into the pool with a properly working filter.

Mine filters just fine with it, though it’s insanely more expensive than normal pool sand. If I had to do it again, I’d stick with regular sand. But if your pool is cloudy, you have a chemical problem probably caused by too little chlorine.
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Yeah, I have monitored the chlorine on a daily basis but the chlorine is being eaten up to quickly which I believe is because the filter isn't doing it's job. I have had cloudy water with every testable chemical within range-frustrating!
 
Sand is not a consumable, sand doesn't wear out. If you want to just replace it, sure go ahead, but it's not a normal wear item.

The only time a sand replacement is recommended is during a baquacil-to-chlorine conversion when the nasty baqua goo gums up everything.
 
Bperry said:
If you have a choice to get a cartridge filter, I’d jump on it. They don’t need to be cleaned once a week. Some folks on here clean it once a season.
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I am leaning this way but the investment is tough to swallow. If my fiberglass filter is leaking and needs to be replaced this would be the time to do it.
 

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dfwnoob said:
Sand is not a consumable, sand doesn't wear out. If you want to just replace it, sure go ahead, but it's not a normal wear item.

The only time a sand replacement is recommended is during a baquacil-to-chlorine conversion when the nasty baqua goo gums up everything.
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Interesting, that's good to know. Every swim university and online video source I have ever seen stated that the granulars are rounded off due to erosion and need to be replaced but if not that's another thing I don't have to pay for!
 
KC4life15! said:
Yeah, I have monitored the chlorine on a daily basis but the chlorine is being eaten up to quickly which I believe is because the filter isn't doing it's job. I have had cloudy water with every testable chemical within range-frustrating!
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Available chlorine has nothing to do with the filter.
 
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KC4life15! said:
Yeah, I have monitored the chlorine on a daily basis but the chlorine is being eaten up to quickly which I believe is because the filter isn't doing it's job. I have had cloudy water with every testable chemical within range-frustrating!
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Filtering does not effect chemistry. Sounds like you have algae.
We use something called Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to check. But you need a proper test kit. Test Kits Compared
 
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KC4life15! said:
Interesting, that's good to know. Every swim university and online video source I have ever seen stated that the granulars are rounded off due to erosion and need to be replaced but if not that's another thing I don't have to pay for!
Click to expand...

I just searched and I couldn't find it, but there was a thread on here a long time ago where it was determined that there is simply not enough mechanical movement or force (or whatever the correct term is, I'm certainly no mechanical engineer) inside a pool filter to wear down the sand in any appreciable form.
 
Take a look through the articles listed here for TFP. If you’ve been following most of the other online stuff they usually parrot the old recommendations of keeping the chlorine between 1-4ppm, which is not enough to keep the water sanitary once CYA (stabilizer) is added. Then when those folks have the inevitable problem, they find their way here and have a chance to fix it. :)

Pool School

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
mknauss said:
Filtering does not effect chemistry. Sounds like you have algae.
We use something called Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to check. But you need a proper test kit. Test Kits Compared
Click to expand...
I am currently using a taylor test kit (K2006). Poor filtration doesn't affect pool chemistry or cause cloudy water? PH & Alkalinity have been steady throughout so not sure how algae could be the issue unless I am missing something. Is there another test to determine if it is algae? Also, I have the CYA down to 30PPM. I have shocked multiple times through the process and always get the water clear but then it clouds back up over and over.
 
dfwnoob said:
I just searched and I couldn't find it, but there was a thread on here a long time ago where it was determined that there is simply not enough mechanical movement or force (or whatever the correct term is, I'm certainly no mechanical engineer) inside a pool filter to wear down the sand in any appreciable form.
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Got it, makes sense!
 
KC4life15! said:
Poor filtration doesn't affect pool chemistry
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It does not. It can cause cloudy water, but rarely is that the cause.

Great on the kit! Fill out your signature so we know all of your pool specs, equipment, etc. It is pretty minimal as you have it filled out now.

Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
 
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